Fast forward to today. Yao's career with the Houston Rockets has consisted of seven extraordinarily successful seasons and two miserable ones, marred by injuries. In his prime, Yao battled Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard for the title of "Best Big Man Alive." In the years since, he's battled ailments of the knee, ankle, foot, foot, foot, foot and ankle. Or something like that.
To call Yao banged up would be akin to calling this whole "rapture" brouhaha a little overblown. An overstatement too obvious for words.
But this is America, gosh darn it, and Yao happens still to be only 30 years old, and still 7-foot-6, and still able to help the Rockets down the road.
The former No. 1 pick shared some good news this week with the Associated Press. He said that his surgically healed left ankle is healing properly, and that he'd like to return to the Rockets again next season.
If you're taking that with a grain of salt, I can't blame you. But it's hard not to get at least a little excited at that news — Yao averaged 19.7 points and 9.9 rebounds per game two years ago, the last time he was fully healthy, and that was with somewhat limited playing time. On a per-36 minute basis, he's been a 20-10 guy five years in a row.
In his prime, Yao took the Rockets to the playoffs five seasons out of six. But his last postseason was cut short, as Yao led Houston into the second round but watched from the bench, injured again, as the eventual champion Lakers eliminated them in seven.
This will be an important summer. While a lockout looms and uncertainty surrounds the future, both for the Rockets and the NBA at large, Yao's future will also be up in the air.
Yao's a restricted free agent this summer. He signed a max extension to his rookie deal back in 2005, getting $70 million over five years. Now he's up for another deal, and marketing power notwithstanding, he's unlikely to attract that kind of cash again.
But let's hope there's basketball next winter, for Yao's sake as much as anyone else's. If the big man re-signs with the Rockets soon, he can begin to get his life in the NBA back on track. There's still time for a career to be salvaged in Houston, for one of the most gifted players in the game's history to make a name for himself once again.
What do you think of Yao Ming's future with the Rockets? Share your thoughts below.
